Among those killed in the assault was Kofi Awoonor, the Ghanaian poet. He wrote:

Death has made war upon our house; And Kpet’s great household is no more, Only the broken fence stands; And those who dared not look in his face Have come out as men. How well their pride is with them. Let those gone before take not They have treated their offspring badly. What is the wailing for? Somebody is dead. Agosu himself Alas! A snake has bitten me My right arm is broken, And the tree on which I lean is fallen Agosu if you go tell them, Tell Nyidevu, Kpeti and Kove That they have done us evil; Tell them their house is falling And the trees in the fence Have been eaten by termites: That the martels curse them. Ask them why they idle there While we suffer, and eat sand, And the crow and the vulture Hover always above our broken fences And strangers walk over our portion.

Somali militant group al-Shabaab claimed responsibility on Twitter for the deadly shooting, which was allegedly carried out by five to 10 gunmen with AK-47s and other sophisticated weapons. Al-Shabaab said the attack was retribution for Kenyan forces’ 2011 push into Somalia and threatened more violence.

“The Mujahideen entered #Westgate Mall today at around noon and are still inside the mall, fighting the #Kenyan Kuffar inside their own turf,” the group said on Twitter.

“What Kenyans are witnessing at #Westgate is retributive justice for crimes committed by their military,” the group said.

To Barry Obama, you have duped so many as the half white man you are purporting to be someone other than you really are Waldo and while you have utilized your manipulative and divisive twists and turns which have done so well for you in your pledge, not to Constitution, but in your radical rhetoric we saw at Harvard and witnessed you and pal tbe Rev Wright talk of WMD fpr Tehran as long as “Zionists” had same in hand….

…and while we will never allow the “Benghazi Massacre” ya know, the phony scandal to be shed for the blood of our four brave Patriots are on your hands as well as those of Ms. Hillary as you both stood shoulder to shoulder in blatant lie and your inaction as well as Ms. Hillary’s has proven your contentions that “what does it matter” – well, while you are nothing more than a Chicago city slicker who has done little to help Black America other than to make sure that more and more of our populace has been enslaved by an every burdensome government, the terrorist attacks will continue and you are to be reminded that one may fool the people some of the time, however as your course continues in your pledge to Hussein Obama and his Kenyan pals to weaken America, here on “Main Street USA” are awakening to the fact that you should be jailed, held for suspicion in breach of faith, treason and soon, more and more among the populace will be enlightened by your devious ways….

Several have written asking that I disallow off-topic comments by Mr. Tingus. I appreciate Michael Brady’s direct input here.

I have — for perhaps only the second time — disallowed one comment by Mr. Tingus that exceeded even my tolerance, which some of you have said serves only to enable hatred.

In the past I have written directly to Mr. Tingus suggesting his angry words do him poor service and that I worry about the burden of carrying such anger.

While I often cringe, I have mostly chosen not to censor for two reasons. First, a general inclination to not dismiss and to try to listen.

Second, I do not erase his comments because I read in them an echo, or sometimes an outline, of a worldview that I encounter offline among men and women who I otherwise find to be generous, thoughtful and even loving. I don’t understand how or why such darkness can erupt alongside such light, but it does. And because he seems to reflect an anger, anxiety, affliction of many others I think it is worthwhile to be reminded of that situation here.

I wish the anger could be lanced. I would much prefer our differences be discussed without such ad hominem attacks and personal bile. But these are symptoms of what seems to be a social epidemic.

Especially in the shadow of what angry dehumanization has meant in Nairobi, I understand the discomfort of many readers. But perhaps we can better engage such challenges by looking closer to home, even in ourselves.

Thank you Mr. Philip Palin and obviously numerous others and Yes,
reading your comments herein, true to heart, steadfast and disciplined in my ways, I must apologize for making you or other feel discomfort when you say you “often cringe” when you choose to read a comment or to those who take difference w/me in stating that I am not staying focused on the issue of the day and cognizant of such and my sweep of the pen far broader than most because so much in DHS keeps coming back to the failures of leadership and disregard for issues which are prerequisite to those of us on “Main Street USA” and to the nation!

You need not worry about the “burden of carrying such anger” for I carry none as you or other may perceive in reading my comment(s). By the way, why do they who so wholeheartedly find me so appalling in expression, read my comments which are just down right honest, nothing more or less…for any and all disparaging remarks towards the politicians at hand, so many continue to earn the disrespect expressed and Barry Obama is foremost from my opinion only!

Whether few care of my opinion as I am only one elder and individual in a crowd of many, however I truly believe Barry and Ms. Hillary should be under – House arrest for suspicion in breach of faith, treason – and a lie detector and questioning take place for are Barry and Ms. Hillary above the law?

….and furthermore for the WH’s mockery of such an attack on a lock and key embassy where intel and security was emphasized and the Ambassador was dragged through the streets and referred to as a phony scandal as another attempt to deflect by executive leadership, unacceptable and foremost on the Homeland Security agenda and which I prefer to relate to often….After all, four Brave Patriots were left behind and We do not leave anyone behind….The trust has been broken and you bet as one lone voice, it is prominent and must not be allowed to be placed aside….

With the pen of an elder now, the importance to making reply to your respected comments herein is done with reluctance other than this perceived notion that I am personally angry as others you find offline you say and for your information, it is nothing so, just utter distaste and much consternation towards the obvious incompetent politicians who have jeopardized us and our national reputation and a populace ignorant in so many ways….prompting me to reiterate the words of Frederick Douglass:

“Find out just what People will submit to, and you have found exact amount of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them; and these will continue until they are resisted with either words or blows, or with both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress” –

Again, I am only one individual and an elder, having no professional position whether at DHS or another agency or private industry. We as elders confer at the local coffee shop and discuss what is most important to us and how a great many who are war heros, veterans and are so ashamed of such governing, the enslavement of so many to an ever widening and bolder government who cannot stand to hear from one lone elder who finds our nation so downtrodden, so abused by those who point to distant shore and to those seeking our demise when We here see our Constitution tattered at its edges by Executive order….

I speak from my heart as an elder only because I love America like you and have a revered respect for the many men and women who I met along this journey who stood forthright in the factory and on the beaches and in the trenches and were the founders, the motivated, the innovative personalities which made America and strengthened the Homeland w/o billions and billions so ill spent and created America the beautiful with their hands, sheer hard work, compromise and certainly did not support late term abortion!

I much appreciate your willingness to have been at least attentive to another voice this long and which is admittedly often quite the contrary to some today, however the darkness and outright corruption I see and the emptiness in political Will is also very discomforting to me and to many of us here on “main Street USA” who as a proud American who values American history which is not all about slavery issues of the past which seem to be the focus of barry and Michelle Obama and a civil rights industry which promotes divide and utilizes the media to its advantage when the outright dismissal of the dire warnings clearly stated in verse and by past leaders is of much consternation. From my perspective, We are at great peril!

There is no personal hatred whatsoever in any bone in my body towards any other for many decades have passed now and I sleep quite well indeed, however certainly espousing an “American spirit” which has evidently been lost and willingly conveying much condemnation of many mere politicians who we “entrust” by precious vote and disappoint so…

Without reservation, little respect for this Chicago city street slicker and smug smiled Pelosi whether Democrat, Republican or other and same towards the other side of the aisle as the self-agenda, the self-serving ways, the condescending ways towards those of us on “Main Street USA”, much disdain, not hatred whatsoever, yet my Love for Republic and citizen obligation to Constitution looking at what appear to me as the simple facts being facts of the many serious issues affecting us and the indifference towards oath of office, pledge to the populace and certainly the leaving of our brave Patriots behind with such intentional blunder in politicizing w/o any arrests at least for me…

….these blatant lies spewed shoulder to shoulder at the “Benghazi Massacre” and so seemingly accepted by many has surely prompted me to keep the wrongs in the forefront…you bet! Phony these intentional ways in deceit, I think not! Quite real and a direct threat to the well being of our nation!

We have been weakened ever so. Putin not only wears the ring, but holds the reigns and the KGB have little regard and turn to us on the Op-ed page to depict such phony and inept leadership where even our foes find little challenge….

A Democracy must have strong arsenal and attentiveness to whatever opinion is offered. To be a politician, one must be an extrovert in his/her profession and to be true to our Constitution and good ‘ol Glory, one must be an extrovert as well which from a constituent’s position in one voice against the lusting of power and greed among these corrupt ways, one is so obviously cast aside and belittled and chided as a fool….

I have often simply quoted the wit and wisdom of Americans in quotation, teachings as expressed in Biblical verse and to those who think of me as a fool, well, in signing off so as to never offend anyone other as I reiterate that not my intent and my mannerism other than feeling it necessary in calling out those who I have little regard towards such as this buffoon in the White House where our richness in history and cultures are now kept behind WH doors which remain closed to our kids who deserve better, often only open to select invited guests who are from time to time are rappers who are so eloquent in their disregard for America… Woodrow Wilson said, “I have always been among those who believed that the greatest freedom of speech was the greatest safety, because if a man is a fool, the best thing to do is encourage him to advertise the fact by speaking” –

I do apologize to you Mr. Palin and anyone I have offended and I have read the comments herein and while I am only expressing much dissatisfaction towards many who so have not a clue what made this country so great, the many, many sacrifices and compromises, since I apparently do offend a number of folks and my comments may be misconstrued as anger as suggested, yet I assure you, really utter disappointment, a wrenching in the gut for those who gave so much and have been forgotten so….and any of these comment(s) based on the – travesty – I perceive taking place at the core of these partisan ways which have weakened us so and will continue to do so….

As an elder who has been proud of a country rich in diversity and innovativeness and Not this divisiveness and the willing and direct insults to our Constitution now left tattered at its edges, the failure to enforce present laws and to stand forthright for our Judeo Christian ways ….

In permanently signing off to the relief of obviously many of your readers, Frederick Douglass stated:

“I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring ridicule of others, rather than to be false and to incur my own abhorrence” –

Thank you Mr. Palin for your obvious patience and again, whether I am on pitch or not at least from some of your reader’s viewpoints, I am not writing the post, just making comment.

Wishing all the very best. God Bless us all.

Again, my intent in expressions was not to make you or anyone else “cringe” and let’s hope the many wonderful ideas and perceptions continually expressed herein by so many astute and indeed professionally experienced men and women will help turn the tide of a nation which has many challenges and the immediacy and prerequisite to altering our present course….

While not a supporter of Richard Milhous Nixon, given the obvious toy like handling of Barry Obama by the “KGB Putinites” who has been closed out of the Middle East since the early 70’s….Nixon stated, “The American defense establishment should never be a sacred cow, but on the other hand, the American military should never be anybody’s scapegoat” – I am a mere one man, however is it I who is really the fool? Maybe, yet while we have diminished our global presence and agility to strategically or politically respond as we saw at the “Benghazi Massacre” We as a nation, once the shining light of Hope to those oppressed at far distant shore, those devious and manipulative among us have grasped the reigns….

Samuel Adams (1775) eloquently stated:

“If tyranny and oppression come to this land, it will be under the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. But, in reality, it will be an Enemy from within” –

Whether individual, Chicago city street slicker or nation, “Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it;the tree is the real thing” – Abraham Lincoln

A Sincere Adieu and God Bless these United States of America and each of you!